The invention relates to a new and improved construction of a washing machine for washing washable articles, particularly washable textiles. In its more particular aspects, the present invention specifically relates to a new and improved construction of a washing machine for washing washable articles, particularly washable textile articles, and is constructed to carry out at least one wash and one rinse cycle and, if required, also a spin and drying cycle. A rotatable drum is provided in a casing and holds the articles to be washed. The rotatable drum has passage openings or holes distributed over its circumference for the supply and removal of the wash water with which a detergent is mixed during the wash cycle.
At the present conventional washing machines have a horizontal drum which periodically turns first in one direction and then in the other, whereby the laundry is drawn through the water in the drum. Through this process the laundry is badly squeezed together and even rolled into clumps. The laundry, particularly when it is embroidered, is thereby abraded against the passage openings or holes of the drum and, if such passage openings have sharp edges, can easily cause tears or even holes in the laundry. Accordingly, the so-called gentle-cycle settings with slower drum rotation were introduced. Nevertheless, the danger of clumping of the laundry and of wear and tear still remain. Sometimes to compensate for the slower drum motion, detergents are added in larger quantities or those used have a a higher concentration. However, these conditions are more aggressive towards the laundry and also the environment is increasingly polluted through the waste water.